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America West: Another Reading Of The Rank And File

December 22, 1991

Readers Report

AMERICA WEST: ANOTHER READING OF THE RANK AND FILE

Your story "Mutiny is in the air at America West" (Top of the News, Nov. 25) just doesn't fly. It is hard to understand how, based on conversations with a handful of renegade self-appointed employee representatives, your reporter can conclude that there has been a marked shift in sentiment at America West Airlines or that goodwill toward management has been dwindling. It is especially perplexing when one learns that America West's official employee group, composed of representatives elected by their peers, told your reporter that they had just polled their members and that Michael Conway received a strong vote of confidence.

America West's employees feel thatBUSINESS WEEK has done them a great disservice in jumping at the bait dangled by this small dissident group. Calls and letters have poured into Michael Conway's office to tell him so, and direc-tors of the company have heard this as well.

America West is proud of its employees' spirit -- a spirit that is very much alive and well today. Just three weeks ago, management asked for employee volunteers to help kick off its new Columbus (Ohio) route -- more than 500 America West employees volunteered to work without pay. How many other companies in this country do you thinkcould equal that response? Certainly none whose morale was not sky high.

Mark De Michele

President, Arizona Public Service Co.

Member, Board of Directors America West Airlines Inc.

Phoenix

Editor's note: Our story cited the support of the Employee Reorganization Panel, the group referred to above.

I'm sure you are aware that a few vocal people can give the impression of representing the majority, when in fact, they are simply the noisiest. Most employees are loyal to Mike Conway and are doing their job well to share in our future success.